Skip to main content

Community Team Feed

BACK TO TEAM PAGE

  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Level Up: Influence Friends and Family
    What kind of system did you create, and how did others in your home respond to it? Was it easy or challenging to stick with?

    Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/26/2025 8:29 AM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    I’ve been getting better at remembering my reusable bags.

    My current system: bags hanging on the door for easy grabs. In theory, it’s foolproof. In reality, my cat has other plans. He’s obsessed with pawing at the door because it’s been too hot for his catio naps. So now my “reminder system” doubles as a feline entertainment center.

    Luckily, I keep backups in my van, because some days, my cat has other plans.

  • Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/25/2025 6:00 PM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    Turns out, refusing single-use plastic is way more fun when you treat it like a craft project. Suddenly every container becomes potential storage, every jar gets a second life, and I’m looking at milk cartons like "Hmm… what could you be?" But there aren't enough hours in the day to turn all these would-be-trash objects into useful things. My place is now equal parts art studio and recycling bin explosion—half-finished planters, pencil holders, and a very ambitious attempt at plarn.

    Anyone else get carried away repurposing things? What’s the most random item you’ve saved from the trash?

    • Mary Hanks's avatar
      Mary Hanks 7/25/2025 7:00 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      This isn't exactly repurposing, but it did involve keeping some plastics from the landfill....I helped a friend scavenge board games with plastic pieces out of someone's trash on the curb. The homeowner came out of the house and we were afraid she might be angry, but she was actually happy someone wanted the games and went inside to find more game pieces to give us.
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lead the Way: Shape Your Community
    What kinds of items do you think people are most likely to give and take at a free store? How might creating a space for sharing change people’s habits around buying new?

    Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/25/2025 4:28 PM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    Based on my own experience (free swaps and thrift stores) and in chatting with some people in my community, we came up with this:
    Commonly Shared Items:
    • Clothing
    • Household Goods
    • Books & Media
    • Toys & Games
    • Baby Items

    How a Free Store Can Change Buying Habits:
    1. Encourages Reuse Over Buying New – Hopefully people may think twice before purchasing something new if they know they can find it for free.
    2. Reduces Waste – Items get a second life instead of ending up in landfills.
    3. Builds a Sharing Mindset – Participants start seeing "stuff" as communal rather than disposable.
    4. Reframes Money – By meeting needs through mutual aid, the store challenges the idea that money is always necessary for survival. It helps dissolve shame around "not having enough" by normalizing giving/receiving as acts of care, not charity.
    5. Strengthens Community Ties – Neighbors interact, fostering trust and mutual aid.

    Over time, people may become more intentional about consumption: repairing, borrowing, or sharing rather than defaulting to buying new. Learning to disrupt capitalist assumptions (that money = access, that needing help = failure) and instead create a culture where sharing is dignified and collective care replaces transactional thinking. It’s a small but powerful step toward sustainability!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Level Up: Influence Friends and Family
    What did you learn from organizing or attending the swap? Did it change your thinking about consumption or community? Post a pic of your favorite new-to-you item in the feed!

    Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/24/2025 7:40 PM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    Not only is this a great way to reuse items, it's a lovely connecting event. Being able to meet up with others who are also deeply passionate about caring for the planet by reducing consumption and waste, caring for each other in mutual aid ways and wearing respirator masks in public, and building community one article of clothing at a time, is revitalizing and reassuring.

  • Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/24/2025 9:17 AM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    I just watched a video about the micro and nano plastics accumulated in your body from contacts! I need to do some more reading... but I'm so surprised I haven't seen this or even thought of it before. It's a bit overwhelming at times to realize how difficult it is to get away from it.

  • Linda Sulecki's avatar
    Linda Sulecki 7/23/2025 12:53 PM
    • Plant-Based Foodie 🥬
    I have a friend who is a kindergarten teacher and they are using plastics in an art project. Teaching the kids that we don't want these in our streets, homes and classrooms unless we make art out of them. The ones I've seen are how sea creatures are affected by having plastics in their environment.

    • Julie Mapes's avatar
      Julie Mapes 7/23/2025 6:32 PM
      • TEAM CAPTAIN
      That is a great idea! I love the creativity in teaching the kids at such a young age, and using plastic pieces that would be waste-repurposing it into art!

    • Nara S's avatar
      Nara S 7/23/2025 7:51 PM
      • Plant Parent 🪴
      As a fellow upcycling crafter, I love this!!

  • Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/23/2025 12:23 PM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    I've been thinking about posting at work asking for people to save their empty soda bottles for me. A project I'd like to make is using soda bottle to create a roof for a small structure for rain collection. During these heat waves, it reminds me of the importance of having a water reserve.

    • Kerry Keck's avatar
      Kerry Keck 7/23/2025 3:08 PM
      I'm sure your coworkers would be happy to save their soda bottles for you, especially if you mention what you're planning to do with them.

  • Colleen Cunningham's avatar
    Colleen Cunningham 7/23/2025 6:09 AM
    I have not been posting as i have been SO incredibly busy, but I got my new reusable sandwich and goodie bags I ordered and I have restarted my subscription to a service that sends me reusables to replace the hhousehold items i have that are not sustainable. Got a new bamboo cutting board and some really great reusable cloths that eliminate paper towel waste(and the plastic they come in!)! I love love LOVE them!

  • Nara S's avatar
    Nara S 7/22/2025 4:41 PM
    • Plant Parent 🪴
    I've seen people use plastic bottles as planters, but I did just see someone use a plastic bottle as a self-watering planter. After you cut the bottle you turn the top part upside down into the bottom portion, after adding soil and plant and water in the bottom will seep up into the soil and keep it moist. I collect a lot of idea on pinterest lol.

    • Shelby Brookbank's avatar
      Shelby Brookbank 7/23/2025 7:44 AM
      • Water Protector 🌊
      It's so cool the little things we can learn from others when online!
  • REFLECTION QUESTION
    Lead the Way: Shape Your Community
    What did you share with others? What message from this resource stuck with you—and how might it influence your own or others' behavior?

    Alaina Drouin's avatar
    Alaina Drouin 7/22/2025 7:44 AM
    My two favorite documentaries I've watched so far are "Plastic Wars" and "Just Eat It" both available on YouTube. Go watch them! The second one is more food waste focused but it was super cool and informative.

    • David Mininni's avatar
      David Mininni 7/22/2025 8:48 AM
      • Plant Parent 🪴
      Theirs another popular one on Netflix called: Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy.